REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A simulation run by EA SPORTS™ NHL® 12 predicts that Sidney
Crosby, despite missing almost 17 games during the regular season, will
lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a second place finish in the Eastern
Conference standings (100 points) and their fourth Stanley Cup®
Championship. Crosby will be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the
Penguins take home the Stanley Cup in a decisive 4-2 series win against
a resurgent Chicago Blackhawks team. The Vancouver Canucks will capture
the Presidents’ Trophy in back-to-back years with 114 points during the
regular season. The EA SPORTS NHL franchise has a history of
successful simulation predictions, accurately selecting: the Chicago
Blackhawks as the 2010 Stanley Cup® champions; the Vancouver Canucks® as
the 2011 Presidents’ Trophy winner; and the 2011 Stanley Cup Final
matchup of the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks.

According to the simulation, last year’s Stanley Cup Champion Boston
Bruins will be unable to claim back-to-back glory as the new-look
Philadelphia Flyers will eliminate the former champions during the first
round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five games. The Vancouver Canucks
will lose in the Western Conference Final to the Chicago Blackhawks in
seven games, adding fuel to the rivalry that has gripped the two cities
in recent years.

Other notable team storylines the simulation predicted for the 2011-2012
NHL season are as follows:

The Toronto Maple Leafs will squeak out an eighth place finish in the
Eastern Conference, making the Playoffs for the first time in seven
seasons

The Minnesota Wild will finish eighth in the Western Conference and
will make the Playoffs for the first time since 2008

The Tampa Bay Lightning will once again miss out on the Stanley Cup
Final; eliminated by the Penguins in a seven game Eastern Conference
Final

Several individual players also stood out in the NHL® 12
simulation. Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will once again
lead the League offensively, posting 110 points and will take home
several pieces of hardware, winning the Art Ross, Ted Lindsay and the
Hart Memorial trophies. NHL®12 Cover Athlete Steven Stamkos will
capture the Rocket Richard Trophy with 53 goals. The Nashville
Predators’ Shea Weber will capture the James Norris Memorial Trophy and
Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will take home the Frank J.
Selke Trophy. Brayden Schenn will thrive with the Philadelphia Flyers in
his rookie season and will be awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy. Henrik
Lundqvist of the New York Rangers will take home his first ever Vezina
Trophy as the league’s best goalie, leading all netminders with 41 wins
and nine shutouts.

A simulation is conducted by artificial intelligence or logic of the
videogame that uses real-life data from each player. Results are
extrapolated by the videogame when two teams match up based on player
ratings, line combinations, and include variances such as injuries and
hot streaks to give a realistic outcome of a game or series.

EA SPORTS NHL®12 authentically captures hockey as it is played on
the ice with more than 300 gameplay refinements highlighted by three key
innovations: Anticipation AI, Dynamic Goalies and the Full Contact
Physics Engine. Anticipation AI takes NHL® 12 to the next level
as players will now intuitively determine their next move by reading and
anticipating the play. With the Full Contact Physics Engine, size and
strength matter. NHL®12 continues to innovate by giving you true
to life collisions and control over the battles around the crease. With
Dynamic Goalies, goalies are live for the first time ever. Players can
make contact with goalies as they crash the crease and goalies will
battle through traffic in front of the net as they fight through screens
to make awe-inspiring saves.

New in EA SPORTS NHL®12 is the introduction oflegends;
nine former NHLgreats – including Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe,
and Mario Lemieux – will be integrated into the game across virtually
every mode, including the all-new Be A Legend Mode. Be the next great
legend in the revamped Be A Pro mode. Play as your created pro and earn
every shift on the ice with stellar play, big hits, and spectacular
goals as you progress towards greatness. New to the mode is the ability
to simulate to your next shift with the all-new EA SPORTS Action
Tracker, which tracks and presents every major event that takes place
while your character is off the ice. This feature will enhance the
gameplay experience as gamers will now spend less time watching from the
bench and more time playing, while still being aware of the game
situation as they step back onto the ice for their next shift.

Assets:

B-roll footage of the EA SPORTS Stanley Cup Final simulation between
Pittsburgh and Chicago, screen shots and an excel document showcasing
full season standings and statistics, including point leaders, award
winners, and playoff bracket for this simulation are available at info.ea.com.

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) is a global leader in digital interactive
entertainment. The Company’s game franchises are offered as both
packaged goods products and online services delivered through
Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and
tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in
75 countries.

In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion.
Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for
critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The
Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield, and Mass
Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Active, The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks
of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International
(Studio and Publishing) Ltd. John Madden, NFL, NBA, NHL NCAA, Tiger
Woods, PGA TOUR and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and
used with permission. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are
registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team
marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. All Rights Reserved.